Time Trip: Comforting an Animal

Kagome ran along the bank, flapped, jumped, splashed in the water, shook off, and started running again. She would learn to fly if it killed her. Everything else was so easy and so natural, but getting off the ground seemed near impossible. As she jumped and stumbled along, she felt a growing pain. Then tortured screams broke nearby.

"WHY? What cruel game is fate going to play with me? Is this Kami-sama's sick idea of a test?" Someone cried to the heavens in anguish. The sound made Kagome's heart shatter.

"Are you testing my trust in my Haha-ue?" There was a short pause. "Are you telling me I have made a mistake, and my Haha-ue is not what I think she is?" The pained scream was answered by his echo: "Haha-ue is not what I think she is." Kagome was frozen in shock and pain as she heard faint whimpering followed by uncontrolled sobs. She managed to compose herself a little and approach a screen on bushes as she heard a whispered "Why?"

She slipped her slender neck between the leaves obscuring a bend in the bank to see a young looking Sesshoumaru, bleeding from rough wounds beneath tattered clothing. He looked like someone had drug him through hell and back. Kagome realized she had been walking and was now within arms reach of him when he suddenly looked up at her. Faced with one of her deadliest enemies on what appeared to be the worst day of his life Kagome panicked. With her mind frozen, she followed an instinct she didn't know she had: 'Puff up and spread your wings to make a predator think you are too big to easily swallow.' When her brain caught up with her body she had her wings spread wide, white feathers gleaming in the morning sun, rearing up in a display that would have been much more impressive had she been her father's size.

"Kami-sama?" Sesshoumaru questioned. Kagome dropped her wings and looked at him in disbelief. The young demon took in the dumbstruck bird's expression, labeling it 'No, stupid' and decided to take another jab at it. It wasn't like the day could get much worse anyway, and the beautiful creature's sudden appearance gave him hope somehow. "You must be an angel then, come to answer me."

Kagome picked up her wings, tucking them to her sides to give herself time to look him over in detail now that he wasn't hunched over. His eyes and cheeks were red with tears, and his white silk kimono was stained red with blood. She could feel his pain and heartbreak. 'This is what made him the way he is. This is why he's so cold and creepy. His mother did this to him.' With that thought Kagome started to cry, it was just so horrible. Big, pearlescent tears slid down her beak. She leaned forward to see the wounds better, and her tears splashed on the jagged wounds. They seemed clean at least. She closed her eyes and started singing the song her father taught her to ease the pain and felt Sesshoumaru begin petting her back.

"You are beautiful, whatever you are. Thank you." The strange change in his tone of voice startled Kagome. She looked down at him and saw that his wounds had disappeared completely. "Are you really an angel?" Kagome shook her head, twisting the song into a lullaby.

"You can't be a..." He sniffed her. "You are a woman aren't you? You're so beautiful. I've never seen such a lovely woman." Sesshoumaru couldn't stop himself from speaking as his heart filled with warm comfort. Here was a beautiful, compassionate creature attempting to sing him to sleep. "Would you come with me?" He asked softly, petting feathers so soft and pure white that they put his fluffy tail to shame.

Kagome was a little worried about the way Sesshoumaru was talking. Sure, it was fairly common that men fell in love with their nurse and acceptable for a person to be friendly with someone who helped them, but the affection in his voice was disturbing.

"I'm not sleepy, but I am a little lost. Come on, you can travel with me. I guess I ought to go home. I followed this river for a long time, so we'll start backtracking that way." Kagome looked up to see the waterfall her father had mentioned. Sesshoumaru jumped to land lightly at the top, and Kagome made her move.

"You don't want to come?" Sesshoumaru asked sadly, though he was beginning to feel more like himself again. He put the flapping bird down and watched as she walked a little down the bank, turned, flapped, jumped, hovered, and fell into the water as a disorganized heap. Sesshoumaru jumped down after her, landing lightly and scooping her back up to the top of the waterfall. Kagome was a bit disoriented from his super-fast movements, but quickly launched herself out over the waterfall again.

"You are a rather pathetic bird if you can't fly, and even more so if you won't accept it." Sesshoumaru snapped, feeling like his old self. He got a stern peck on the shoulder for it, and dropped the large bird on her head. "I may not stand above my Chichi-ue, but I am a formidable opponent."

"I can't believe you would threaten me after I helped you! I guess you are just a nasty guy after all." Kagome twittered at him in frustration.

"I don't' know what you are saying but I don't like the tone you are taking." He swiped at her with his sharp claws. "I guess all things have their downside."

Scared brainless, Kagome jumped with all she had and flapped like her life depended on it, finally gaining the speed and lift required to fly. She sang out in an attempt to calm the suddenly frustrated dog demon below.

"So you can fly after all. How about a little game? You fly and I chase. I can jump higher then you are now, and catch the wind with my tail to float around. It'll be fun." Sesshoumaru was chasing after Kagome, and she had to wonder whether or not he was really talking about playing a game or just getting ready to kill her. She decided she wouldn't let him win.

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Sofia: O.o Run, Kagome, run! That unstable Inu is behind you.

Inu-chan: Kagome can't run away, I want her here with me! *blushes to match his clothing*

Sofia: She had better, or a mentally unstable dog demon is going to clip her tailfeathers.

Inu-chan: *Looks cute and inocent, droopy ears* I'm not doing anything bad, I just can't talk right.

Sofia: I mean your brother!

Inu-chan: What!?! That... **Censored to keep my rating down, refers to Sesshoumaru's mother and possible problems with her liniage often. Elapsed time: 5min**

Sofia: No, Inuyasha, you can't read Kagome's side of the story! She'll tell you everything you need to know in due time. Besides, do you want to tell her what you really feel for her? With no inhibitions?

Inu-chan: Yes. ACK! I didn't mean to say that! I ment to say I don't care, though that's a lie. CRAP! *Stuffs sticky dried fruit in mouth to stop talking*

Sofia: Well that's the end of that. Savete!